Mouthpiece for musical instruments



June 23, 1925. r I 1,543,655.

Y J. B. NEWMAN Y MOUTHPIECE FOR ivluslckp INSTRUMENTS- Fi-led Jan. 1924 Swwnkoz Patented June 23, 1925.

PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH B. NEWMAN, OF RAVENNA, KENTUCKY. I

MOUTHPIECE FO'R MUSICAL INSTRUlVlENT'S.

Application filed January 22, 1924. Serial No. 687,804

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, JOSEPH B. NEWMAN, citizen of the United States, residin at Ravenna, in the county of Estill and tate of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mouthpieces for Musical Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relatesto mouth pieces for musical instruments,'such' as cornets, trombones and the like.

Inorder to properly and satisfactorily master the playing of cornets, trombones and like musical instruments, it is very essential that no appreciable pressure of the lip be placed upon the cup'ot the mouth piece such as would cause movement of the mouth piece cup toward and'onto the stem of the mouth piece were they slidably associated. One of the main reasons for failure of persons to properly master the playing of these instruments resides in the fact that theyapply their lips to the mouth piece cup with considerable pressure in this manner and thereby are unable to properly sound the notes or produce the proper tone.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a mouth piece for instruments of the above kind by means of which playing of the instrument is absolutely prevented upon the application of a predeterminedpressure of the lips upon the mouth piece cup. j

' A further object of the invention is to provide means for permitting variation of this predetermined pressure so that the lat-. ter may be gradually decreased or initially set at any desired pressure for enabling a person to gradually master the playing of the instrument by a gradual reduction of the application of lip pressure to the mouth piece cup, and whereby the mouth piece may be set to suit the specific requirements met with in each individual case or person under instruction.

A further object is to provide a mouth piece characterized as specified above and embracing the desired qualities of simplicity and durability of construction, as well as efliciency in operation. 1

Still another object of the invention is to provide a mouth piece of the above kind that may be cheaply and easily manufactured and assembled, as well as placed into use, and to provide means for facilitating accurate adjustments for the purpose above mentioned.

Still another object of'the invention is to provide a. practice mouth piece of the above kind wherein provision is made for converting the same into a rigid mouth piece when desired, such as after the proper playing of the instrument has been mastered.

With the above general objects in view and others that will become apparent as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel form, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the ac- V companying drawing and claimed.

In the drawing, wherein like reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of a mouth piece constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a substantially central longitudinal sectional view of the device shown in Figure 1, and V s Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, showing a modification of the invention.

" Referring more in detail to the drawing,

upon the outer end of which the cup mem- V ber 5 is mounted.

In accordance with the present invention the cup member 5 is slidably mounted upon the stem 6 for movement longitudinally thereon, inward movement of the cup member 5 on the stem 6 being resisted by a compression spring 7 the pressure or strength of which may be adjusted by means of a nut 8 that is threaded upon the stem 6 for'adjustment longitudinally of the latter. The

outer end portion of the stem 6 is of a, diameter slightly smaller than the central opening 9, provided in the cup member 5 so that, under circumstances to be presently made apparent, air may pass between the "stem and cup member to the atmosephere instead of being torcedto pass through the hollow: I

stem 6 or the bore of the latter, as indicated The 'cup member 5 is formed with I an annular tapered or bevelled valve seat as at form to the shape of the cup member 12? surrounding the inner end of the opening. 9

nut 8 formed by providing. the latter between its ends with a peripheral flange ofT shaped' cross section as shown in. Fig ures 2 and. 3. Oneend of the nut. 8 is inwardly tapered. or. bevelled as at 16 to conso that when. the nutB is threaded along. the stem 6 until the bevelled encl16'of said nut engages the inner. end of the cup'member 5,.a. substantially rigid mouth piece will be had for use by one who-has fully mass tered the proper playing: of the musical instrument; -The flange 15 is disposed fan ther from the/bevelled end 16 of the nut 8 than from the other. end thereof'so that said nut maybe reversed upon the stem 6 for obtaining a maximum adjustment for thereby placing the-spring 7 under maximum compression, if found necessary. The formof the flange '15" providesanother recess. or groove 14 for reception of" the inner end'of the spring. 7 int case the nut member 8 is thus reversed and for facilitating the turning of the nutsS, the periphery of the flange 15 is preferablyroughenecl orknurled as shownin Figure '1; The threads of'the'stem 6 engaged by the nut' '8'may be interrupted for a small space so that a smooth longitu dinal surface may be provided upon the exterior of the stem 6-for the length of said thread for reception of graduations and co 'operating progressing numerals as indicat-ed generally at 17. Thisprovides means for facilitating minute and accurate ad ustment-of the nut 8 for an obvious advantage.

vThus far described; the construction shown in Figures 2 and 3' are substantially alike except as'to size ofcert'ain. elements.

7 'From' the above descriptioinit is appar entthat should the lips be applied to the cup 5; with sufli cient pressure tooffset the action of the spring-7 said cup 5' will'slide inwardly on the. stem. 6; so as to. cause thevalve head 12 to unseat or move away from the seat 11' of said cup 5, thereby allowing the air 'to 'pass to'the atmosphere through theopening' 9 and about the stem'GL This vents the air so thatfthesamewill not pass through. the bore'lObf the stem 6 and so that the musical instrument will accord ingly not be played] In this manner, the person is prevented from playing the. mu-

sical instrument unlesshe succeeds in placing'the lipoupoirthe cup member 5 with less with: slightlyless pressure upon the lip cup 5., and this operationis repeated until the nut 8 has been adjustedjto substantially completelyrelease the spring 7, at Which time playing will be accomplished with practically no pressure applied by the" lips upon the cup member 5. a r

In the form of the invention shown in- Figures-l and 2, the stem 6 is formed in two sections,'the outer section being'thread'ed for reception of the nut 8, andt-he' innersection' being of relatively small diameter as indicated at 18a'nd having its inner end externally threaded for threaded engagement The user of the mouth piece then is with the outer end of the inner stem section as indicated at 19, the bore offthesection beingfsimi'lar. Thispermits ready assembly or separation of the stem sections and other parts and further permits the use of. a cup member 5, the opening 9' Off'WlliClI is relatively small and the use of a stem section 18', the valve head12of which iscorrespondingly'f'ormed in size Afterthe stemsection 18" has been; passed through the opening 9 of 'the cup member 5, the-same may have a lateral pin '20'seeured thereto adapted to be receivechwithin a notclrQl provided in the inner end of; the cup member 5 adjacent one side of'said opening 9 when the cup member is forced toward' the nut S. VVhenthe' pro j ection 20 is disposed in the notch 21 the. stemiand'cup memberare held againstrelative'rot'ation so tlia t the nut 8 maybe readily adjustedfwhile the: instrument is held in one han d and the other hand employed for turning the nut 8; the inward: movement ofthe cup 5 being e'lfectedby applyinglip pressure thereon, a

In the form Of the invention shown in Figure 3; the stem 6 isformedf' of one piece, and in order to permit assembling of the stem 6' and cup member 5; the valve head" '12 and opening 9' are necessarily "made relativelylarge along" with the seat 1 1. The advantage intthis form: of" construction is that it reduces thenumber: of parts of the mouth piece, but the form ofthe invention shown in Figures 1? and 2is probablyipreferable due to the morep'ractical sizeof aparts an'dappearance. v 1 V Froiathe foregoing deseriptiom it'is believed that theconstruction and operation,

as well as the advantages of the present invention will be readily understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art.

lVhat I claim as new is:

1. A mouth piece comprising a hollow stem provided at its end with a valve head, a nut mounted upon the stem, a cup slidably mounted upon the stem and having an interior surface engageable' with the valve head and a cone shaped helical spring interposed between the nut and the cup.

2. A mouth piece comprising a hollow stem having a valve head at. its end, a cup slidably mounted upon the stem and having an interior wall surface which is spaced from, the exterior surface of the stem and having an interior surface which engages the valve head, a nut mounted upon the V stem and a cone shaped helical spring interposed between the nut and the cup.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature.

JOSEPH B. Y NEWMAN. 

